The Light Beyond
by aethkr
Summary: "I'd do anything if it means seeing you again."
1. Chapter 1

" _I'll always relive my final day if it means seeing you again."_

 **My Death**

Riko ran in a room void of life. It was pure white. Confused, she kept walking in hopes to find something that she knows isn't there.

"Hello?"

 _Helloo…._

 _Helloooo…._

Her voice simply echoes back, no one responds.

 **Where** is she? Is she in heaven? Is she in hell? But hell can't have a pure white room as its entrance, can it? Riko chuckles, probably not. What was she thinking?

Slowly she walked, checking around to see if there was anything she could interact with. She was getting bored fast and she doesn't know **why** she is here—

 _Oh._

An unresolved pain in her chest appears, causing Riko to jump and scowl. She placed her hand on her heart and didn't realize that she was starting to cry.

It hurt so much, it was like something was being ripped out from her. Something that belonged to her is being ripped out and will never be returned. Riko hated this feeling. She hated this.

"Ahh…why are you crying my dear?" A voice called out, Riko turned around and saw no one. "I'm right here, in front of you."

Riko turned around again and saw no one. Frightened, she took a step back. "I can't see you."

"You aren't supposed to," the voice replied, chuckling. "Are you okay?"

Riko takes a moment to ponder upon the question then shakes her head softly. "Why are you not okay?"

"I miss…." The name struggles to get out of her mouth. "I miss…."

"Ah, you want to see _them_ again right?" Riko nodded vigorously. "You'll be able to see them—"

Riko's eyes brightened up.

"—but you have to wait a little more. It's still morning out there."

"How do you know?"

"Don't question it."

The voice, though Riko can't see it, seems to chuckle again. "I can see now why you miss her."

"You really love her don't you?" Riko perks up at the question.

"Yeah, she's so sweet. She's means the world to me. If she's not with me, I don't feel like myself. It feels like I'm being ripped into two. It hurts but I can't bring her here can I?"

"Nope, too bad. But I think you would've wanted her to continue living, after all—"

"She still has something to live for, yeah I get you."

"Anyways, I'll be going. Good luck seeing them again."

"Eh?"

"Make sure you don't waste the time!"

"I won't!"

* * *

 **So, it's less than 1000 words. Hmm...I have to work on that. I'll make next chapter 1000 words min. I already have this outlined so don't ya worry.**


	2. Chapter 2

" _Please don't leave me!"_

 **My Tears**

Yō was kneeling, shocked. Riko's body stopped going up and down, her eyes lacking life, signaling _death_.

She kept on shaking Riko to wake her up. To wake her up from her inevitable demise, to wake Yō up from the nightmare she doesn't want to face, the future she refuses to accept.

"Riko-chan! Please don't…Riko…" Yō looked at her with so much sadness that it hurt. In her arms is her lover and she's dead.

 _Dead._

 _She's dead Yō. You can't save her._

 _You_ _ **can't**_ _save her._

 _She's_ _ **dead**_ _._

 _You got here_ _ **too late**_ _._

 _This is_ _ **your fault**_ _._

The voice in Yō's head was dominating any other voice that was trying to reach out to her. She set Riko down and looked at her own hands, mentally marking herself as the one at fault.

She started to shake uncontrollably, scared. Scared that Riko will punish her for not being able to save her. Scared that Riko will not love her anymore.

Wait, why will Riko love her?

Of course, she won't love Yō anymore!

It was **her** fault why Riko is now **dead**!

Yō suddenly felt two arms hugging her tightly and let her tears escape. "Chika-chan…I'm sorry!"

Chika, instead of replying, hugged Yō even tighter knowing that she needed it. Chika knew that Yō loved Riko so much and that her death hit her hard the most. Riko was Yō's world. She did so many things for Riko and now, Yō won't be able to do anything for her anymore. The thought of it makes Chika want to cry. If she had someone to love and they died, she would be very sad.

The least she could do is comfort her best friend. She knew that Riko would appreciate it.

"Riko-chan loves you. She won't hate you for not saving her." Chika knew her friend. She knew that Yō would blame herself. "Please look at me Yō-chan. I want to help you."

Yō refused eye contact and tried to break free from her embrace, emotionally and physically hurting both girls.

"Please let me go."

The desperation in her voice caused Chika to stumble, letting her friend go to run away back home. Despite how much it hurts to see her friend try to cope by herself, she couldn't control her friend and continued her day in worry, hoping that she'll be okay.

—

Yō covered herself and cried. She didn't want to accept that Riko was gone. She just entered her life.

 _Why does she have to go so soon?_

On a shelf held the many achievements Yō has won over the years she has participated in various swimming competition. It ranged from having medals of gold with the number 1 on it to trophies having the similar number.

Before, it meant something. It meant that her efforts spent in training has bore fruit.

Now, it's meaningless.

 _Meaningless….  
_

 _Like my worth to Riko-chan._

What was once a blossoming relationship was now down in ruins. A lover has ascended into a place the other can't enter.

One has moved forward, but the other was left behind.

 _You said you'd grow old with me._

Gone was the warmth she'd usually feel when she invites Riko over for a sleepover. Gone was the giggles that they share when they talk before sleeping. Gone was the love of her life.

And it was something she cannot take back.

It was something she wishes she has, but fate has other plans, it's cruel.

If only she did something before _it_ happened, she could've saved her and they could've lived a happily ever after.

 _This is a lie._

 _She can't be dead._

 _She's just sleeping._

 _She's not_ _ **dead**_ _._

 _She's_ _ **dead**_ _._

 _SHE'S NOT!_

Yō desperately wanted to convince herself that Riko wasn't dead. That she was alive, that everything she's experiencing, everything she's living through, it's all a lie.

That this is a nightmare, and that when she wakes up in the morning, she would see the gracious smile of Riko greeting her at school.

But even though it's a dream too far to become reality…it isn't bad to hope right?

To hope for a future that is bearable.

To hope for a day where nothing is wrong.

Sadly, that's not how it works.

And Yō is subjected to living with a grief she'll hold for a long time.

—

Chika to watch as Yō's mental state was slowly deteriorating. The girl had mental breakdowns every once and a while when there was no one around, just the two of them.

The death of Riko was sudden and it caught Chika by surprise. Although a few days have already passed since the incident, Chika still had trouble wrapping her head around it.

She can't believe a student, a friend, a _peer_ was stripped away of the right to live. It was difficult to understand and Chika thinks she'll never understand the concept of it.

The girl admits that she does miss the times when it was just her and Yō. The two of them basking in each other's presence. When Yō confessed to Riko, Chika was happy but behind her smile—

—was a broken heart.

Now that doesn't matter anymore. Chika was focusing on Yō. She didn't want her friend to take the easy way out. She knows Riko doesn't want her lover to die. They both love each other and as much as Chika knows Yō wants to follow Riko in the afterlife, she can't let that happen.

It was her promise to Riko.

Although it hurts, she'll preserve. She always has.

And she always will.

That's what counts.

Yō's head was resting on Chika's shoulder and Chika could feel her heart beat faster. But she'll never have a chance with Yō. It hurts and she wishes it wasn't true, but it was.

And no matter what she does about it.

Yō will always fall in love with Riko.

After all, she lost her chance a very long time ago.

—

The two were by the shore, smiling to each other as the sun set. Yō sighed and leaned on Chika.

She clenched her fist.

 _Did you know Riko-chan…_

 _I was supposed to propose to you?_

A tear slipped down Yō's cheek.

* * *

 **Didn't think that I would put Angsty!Chika here, but it happened. And I strayed away from the outline... _again._**


	3. Chapter 3

"" _I'd do anything if it means seeing you again."_

 **My Miracle**

The last thing Yō remembers is sleeping on her bed.

What she _doesn't_ remember is waking up in a white room, void of anything.

Still affected with grief, she sits down and looks around, hoping to do something to satisfy her or to distract her.

" _Yō-chan?"_

" _Yō-chan!"_

There was a voice that was calling out to her. Yō perked up and looked around. She couldn't see anything, making her confused. Why does the voice know her name?

And why does the voice sound familiar—

"Riko-chan?" Yō dropped to her knees in surprise. In front of her was Riko, looking very much alive compared to her former state. "You're alive?"

"You're alive!"

Yō hugged Riko tightly and refused to let go. She missed her, every single night she spent it crying over her loss. Every day she spent it thinking about being with her again.

" _You're alive, you're alive, you're alive, you're alive, you're alive!"_

And now she's here, in the flesh, an angelic aura surrounding her. Yō was shocked and was overwhelmed she started to cry.

It was too much to take in so Yō just let it out through tears.

"I….t-thought you died…. You l-looked so…you looked so l-lifeless! Y-You weren't moving nor were you b-breathing! P-P-Please don't scare me like that again! I d-don't want to l-l-lose you…"

Yō vented to Riko how much she missed her. Every single word that came out of Yō's mouth stung, because she kept bringing the topic of her being 'not dead' even though….

…..she'd rather not think about it.

"Y-Y-Yō-chan…" Riko's body shivered as she glanced everywhere, avoiding Yō's eyes.

"Y-Y-Yeah?" Yō looked at Riko with hints of sadness and regret in her eyes. "Please….t-tell me you're s-staying.."

"I c-can't bear the t-thought of losing you. It h-hurts… It hurts s-s-so much. I want u-us to stay t-together till the end of t-time. But…..p-please tell me s-something R-Riko-chan…. P-Please answer this q-question.."

Nervous, Riko replied, "Y-Yes?"

"D-Don't leave me…"

And that was the final blow, Riko ended up crying as she cannot take in the guilt crashing upon her.

Yō's wishes were impossible to make true. It was too far out of reach. It was outside the realm of possibility. Even though Riko _desperately_ wanted to stay, _she can't._

 _She can't._

She **died**.

 **Died**.

She **cannot come back**.

The words haunted her as it repeated itself over and over again in her head. She didn't want to accept that this was their fate. A result that could've been prevented, but who can get out of the way of fate anyway?

It hurt her so much to not be able to see the dazzling eyes of her beloved. It hurt her that she wouldn't be able to spend time with her anymore. After all,

… _what can a dead person do?_

 **Absolutely nothing**.

"I can't." Riko surprised herself when the words came out of her mouth. Yō looked devastated, her eyes lifeless as if they were dead. Even though Yō was _very much alive_ , her body says otherwise. "I'm sorry."

Yō took a step back and gave a stern look to Riko. " _It's too difficult.._ "

The sadness in her voice scared Riko, not ever hearing this tone from Yō before. "I told you I can't—"

" _Do you not know how much it is_ _ **killing**_ _me inside to wake up every single day,_ _ **waiting**_ _, just_ _ **WAITING**_ _, for a miracle to come by?! A miracle that will allow_ _ **me**_ _to see_ _ **you**_ _again, to be able to rekindle the spark that has faded and let it see the light again! It's_ _ **killing**_ _me that I always let my hopes up that I_ _ **will**_ _see you again only for it to be crushed at seeing_ _ **your empty seat**_ _!"_

" _ **Nothing matters**_ _anymore Riko. I don't care how many medals I win or competitions I join. It hurts_ _ **so bad**_ _that you had to leave so soon. It hurts_ _ **so bad**_ _that I continue to raise my hopes, thinking, "I'll probably see Riko-chan again" even though I know, I_ _ **know**_ _that you'll_ _ **never be there**_ _, and you_ _ **never will be**_ _."_

" _You mean everything to me Riko-chan, and to think that you just_ _ **go away**_ _and slip through my fingers makes me feel like this is my fault."_

" _If only I got there_ _ **earlier**_ _, if I ran_ _ **faster**_ _I could've saved you, if I_ _ **wasn't**_ _irresponsible to just leave you in an area I know you'd have difficulty with sooner or later! The guilt is_ _ **so much**_ _to bear and I just….can't…."_

Riko reached for Yō's hand only for hers to pass through Yō's hand. She gasped, _it's happening_. Yō looked surprised, not having seen such a phenomenon. Riko's vision became blurry, her eyes watering up.

"W-What's happening?" Yō looked up and saw Riko crying. "What's happening..?"

"Our time is running out," Riko said, looking down and her suspicions were right. Her body was fading, becoming transparent. _"Yō-chan.."_

"Don't leave me!" Yō saw Riko slowly fading away, losing transparency. "Riko-chan! Riko!"

Riko continued to cry as Yō kept on calling her name. She didn't want their last time together to be like this. She didn't want this…

It scared her when she tried to listen to Yō's voice…

…and she couldn't hear her anymore.

—

Yō woke up crying, regretting their last moment together. She continued to cry as she placed her hand on her heart.

Soon, Chika was called over.

It destroyed Chika to see Yō in this state. Yō told her what happened with her and Riko and Chika could hear the pain in her voice, the _regret_.

And before she even knew it, Yō was resting on her lap, asleep once again.

It was a journey, Chika thought. She was sad that her friend died and grieved on her own but she had to put her own feelings aside to care for her beloved.

Slowly, Chika came to accept that Yō might possibly not look at her like how she looks at Riko. It was heart wrenching but true.

"Rest in peace," Chika said, before sleeping with her best friend, tired from the day's events.

* * *

 **Probably not the happy ending I was expecting but it's a nice resolution. Hopefully it wasn't confusing, since I suddenly added Chika's unrequited feelings to the final scene.**

 **Though writing You's feelings to Riko was making me tear up but it kinda felt unfair since Riko wasn't able to do the same thing. Well, *sigh* it's too late to change it now.**

 **Thanks for reading! It was a nice ride, despite how short-lived this story was.**

 **x**


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